Jaywalking crackdown angers pedestrians

Earlier this month, 198 people were cited by Savannah-Chatham police for pedestrian-related violations during the "Crosswalk Awareness and Enforcement Campaign," the department has announced.

But as of Saturday night, 406 people had joined a Web-based group demanding that the city stop the campaign and dismiss the citations, post haste.

"This is another reason for people to not go downtown," said Ruel Joyner, owner of the 24e furniture store on Broughton Street and one of the movers behind a Facebook site, Savannahians Against Ticketing for Jaywalking. "(The city should) go back, reverse those tickets. They need to be watching out for crime."

The controversial pedestrian enforcement campaign started May 10, designed to raise awareness about safety by both pedestrians and motorists.

During the seven days starting May 10, police officers issued 49 warnings to pedestrians - the majority for crossing against a signal, according to data provided by metro police spokesman Gene Harley. Also during that week, three pedestrians were cited for crossing against a signal. And three motorists were cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian, while 23 were given written warnings.

During the week of May 17, officers wrote 175 tickets for crossing against a signal and another 10 for crossing a roadway at a spot other than a crosswalk. Seven motorists were cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian. And seven warnings were issued that week to pedestrians crossing against a signal, the data showed.

The crackdown began after two Swedish delegates to a conference in Savannah were struck the night of April 21 while crossing Oglethorpe Avenue at Bull Street.

Nils Eric Svensson, 61, died of his injuries shortly after being rushed to Memorial University Medical Center. Anne Christine Bjarkby, 45, was treated and released on April 29.

As of Wednesday, metro police and the Chatham County District Attorney's Office were still investigating the case, Pal said.

Police Chief Michael Berkow said the campaign is all about pedestrian safety laws.

"We've tried to educate. We had that media blitz and then issued warnings - it was something we needed to do," Berkow said on Friday. "I agree; the fines are high, but we don't set those - that's the state."

This year, five people have died on Chatham County roadways. Svensson's death was the only one to occur downtown and the only one to occur in a crosswalk.

The most recent pedestrian fatality occurred May 23 in Garden City when Francisco Macias Flores was struck by three cars in the 4800 block of Ogeechee Road.

Berkow said his officers soon will extend the crackdown to Ogeechee Road and Abercorn Street.

Joseph Marinelli, president of the Savannah Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, said his office has not received any complaints about the crackdown.

Some oppose rally

Savannah resident Michael Gaster, creator of the Facebook page, said metro police should have taken a more preventative approach toward the problem.

"It's a matter of safety in jaywalking. You have police look at people doing it, then they should stop them," Gaster said. "Don't wait for them to do it and then cite them."

Gaster said while he has not been cited for jaywalking, hearing a story about a Girl Scout leader being cited for jaywalking on her way to the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace on Oglethorpe Avenue, and then again for leaving her dog in a vehicle pushed him over the edge.

"She came to Savannah and left with $400 in tickets," he said. "What kind of a message does that send to visitors?"

Joyner blamed city government for the crackdown, saying they sucker-punched business owners already struggling from the shaky economy.

"It's a slap in the face to business owners and anyone who loves downtown," Joyner said. "I'm not pointing my finger at police - they're just doing their job. I'm pointing my finger at City Hall. They need to get involved."

City Alderman Van Johnson II, whose district includes most of downtown, shared the sentiments of Gaster and Joyner.

"I feel like it was overkill, and it was unreasonable," Johnson said. "I feel we have a responsibility for public safety, but we lack an intense educational campaign to teach people."

Gaster said city government needs to realize residents will fight back.

"I think that's what we've started to do," he said.

CRACKDOWN CONTINUES

Soon, Savannah-Chatham police will continue their pedestrian enforcement operation along Ogeechee Road and Abercorn Street near the Savannah Mall. Both roadways have locations for accidents involving pedestrians. This year, Chatham County area law enforcement has handled five pedestrian deaths - three of them on Ogeechee Road. In the past seven years, at least 38 pedestrians have died.

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here. Politicans and the local BIG business lobby have united to direct the City Manager and The Police Chief on yet another shakedown of citizens at gunpoint, all while serious crime and suspects deserve maximium allocation of law enforcement resources. Getting police out of the politically motivated punishment business would go light years toward improving police/communuity relations. As a VERY concerned citizen, I ALWAYS support good public safety policy, this isn't one.

...is not something I enjoy doing on a regular basis, but it seems that every time I go downtown I have to quickly step on my brakes for some unintelligent individual (or group of individuals) stepping out into the street from in between two large, view-obstructing SUVs on Broughton or Congress. Yesterday evening, my girlfriend and I had walked down to grab a bite to eat at Churchill's, and during the walk back to the house we were nearly struck (while using the crosswalk by Wright Square) by a couple of teenage girls driving a dark blue Honda. It would have been nice if they had been cited for their failure to yield. I've never been a big fan of the metro police in this city, but it's good to see them out doing something. If anyone has got a problem with the cops writing tickets for jaywalking, then use the crosswalks. It's the same "don't you have anything better to do?" complaint that people make when cops begin writing tickets for speeding or for the failure to use seatbelts. If we're going to complain about law enforcement doing its job in one sector, let's complain about law enforcement doing its job everywhere else.

Simply put - the focus needs to be on reckless driving and REALLY dangerous jaywalking. I have no problem with a ticket being issued for some unobservant fool running in front of oncoming traffic. Please DO ticket those people. But someone who is crossing the street "illegally" at ANY point (crosswalk or not) should not be ticketed if there is no obstruction to the flow of traffic. It's common sense and common decency to enforce this legitimately.

And if they (government, police, etc) are really so concerned with safety - why didn't they START with Ogeechee and Abercorn? Those streets are fast-paced and dangerous for pedestrians on a good day. The one downtown incident that spurred all this was IN a crosswalk (likely not the pedestrian's fault). The reasoning and application are all very questionable.